Multiple-break electric switch



July 26, 1927.

| A., BROWN MULTIPLE BREAK ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed July 3. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheetl l llillll July 26, 1927. 1,636,984

L. A. BROWN MULTIPLE BREAK ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed July C5. 19,26 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 A Wzesses: l 1780673607:

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MZ? A July 26 1927.

L.. A. BROWN MULTIPLE BREAK ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed July s. 192e 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INM.

Patented uly 26,- 1927.

UNITED STATES LADUBA. ALEXANDER BROWN, OF UNIONTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA. l

MLTIPLEQBBEAX ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application med July 3,

This invention relates to electric switches, and more particularly to a multi le-break electric switchY for making and electric circuits under heavy load, and has for` its object the provision of a. switch of this class which`will operate without prolucing a flame or flash.

The present switch is particularlyV adapted for use in coal mines and other places where a -liash or flame would be liable to cause an explosion, since it operates entirely free of` an arc.

In the. drawings: o

Figure 1 is a plan of a switch constructed l5 in accordance with my invention, the top of the casing being broken away for Clearness. Fi

line II--II of Figure 1 and showing-"the switch in 'openpositiom f Figure 3 is a similar view to that o f Figure 2, with the switch in closed position.

Figure 4 is a` sectional end elevation. of the switch. ,l Referring morel particularly to the drawings, the numeral 2 designates the casing or box enclosure of the switch, which is preferably formed of metal for strength and for fire protection.

A plurality of posts 3 are secured to the base of the box 2 to support a plurality of s guare plates 4 formed of insulating mater1al.

The plates 4 are arranged, one on top of the other, on the osts 3 and are locked into close Contact by t e nuts 5 threaded on the posts 3. The plates 4 have their abutting faces relieved to form circular recesses 6 adapted to receive circular plates 6a also formed of insulating material.

The plates 6 are mounted on the squared portion 7' of a shaft 7, which is arranged centrally of the casin 2 and journaled in bearings 8 and 9. Suitable spacing washers or bushings 10 are mounted on the shaft 7 between the plates, and anut 12v andbushing 13 are threaded on the shaft 7 at the top andbottom of the plates 6, respectively, to hold or lock the plates 6a in position. The bushing 13 is locked on the shaft by a set-screw 14.

The shaft 7 is squared at its upper end to reaking gure 2' is a sectional elevation onthe 1926. Serial N0. 120,384.

receive a crank handle 15 for rotating the shaft when operating or closing the switch. The plates 4 and 6n are provided with .openings 16 and 17, respectivel to receive 55 contact members 18 and l19, a pted to be moved into and outof contact with each other when the plates 6a are rotated.

The contact 16 in the lower plate 4 is connected to one of the posts 3 by a shunt lead e0 20, while'the contact 16 in the upper plate 4 is connected to another of the posts 3 by a shunt lead 21. The posts 3, to which the leads 20 and 21 are connected, are each provided with line leads 22, so that the Switch 65 may be connected into one side of an electric circuit.l f l 'f-It'fw'ill be readily understood from the above, that by simply rotating the handle 15, the plates 6 may be rotated relative to 70 the stationary plates 4 to move the contacts 19 into and out of contact with the contacts 18 to make and break the electric circuit, and that due to the novel mounting of the contacts 18 and 19 in the plates 4 and 6 and 'l5 the novel arrangement of the plates, there is substantially no air space between the plates, so that there is ynot sufficient air to support an arc-llame .or flash when the contacts are disengaged. Also, due so to the fact that the plates 4 and 6l are, formed of insulating material, the movable plates 6** will cover the contacts 18, and the stationary plates 4 will cover the contacts 19 as the contacts are separated, thus cover 85 ing thesurfaces of the contacts and preventing them drawing an arc.

The upper end of the bushing 13 is flared outwardly to form a flange 25, and a lever 26 is secured to the flange 25 by bolts or l0 screws 27. A coiled spring 28 has one end secured to an eye 29 mounted in the Casin 2, and its other end secured to the free en of the lever 26, so that as the shaft 7 is rotated to move the plates 6"l into circuit closing 95 position, the spring 28 will be tensioned.

A pawl 30 is pivoted on a pin 31 mounted in the bearing late 8, and is adapted to be normally urgedJ against the flange 25 by a spring 32, so that as the shaft 7 and bush- 100 ing 13 are rotated, the pawl 30 will automatically enter a notch 33 in the ilange 25 and lock the switch in closed or circuit making position. A handle 34 is secured to the pawl 30 and projects upwardly through the casing 2, so that the pawl 30 may be disengaged from the notch 33 to release the Shaft 7 and ermit the spring 28 to reversely rotate the s aft 7 and move the plates 6 so as to open the switch.

A second pawl 35 is pivoted on a pin 36 mounted inthe bearing plate 8 and is adapted to be normally urged a ainst the flange 25 by a spring 37, so that it will engage in a notch 38 in the flange 25 when the switch is in o en circuit position. A handle 39 is secure to the paw 35 and projects upwardly through the casing 2 so that the awl 35 may be disengaged from the notc 38 to release the switch when it is desired to move it into closed position. It will be understood that the pawl 35 and its associated parts are not essential and may be omitted, if desired. t

While I have shown my switch in its simplest form for the purpose of illustrating my invention, it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto, since it may be readily modified by the addition of other series of contacts to the plates, or by successive groups of plates operable in unison, to control all the lines of a two-line, three or four-line circuit. It will also be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the s eciic details of construction since the locking pawls 30 and 35 may be mechanically or electrically controlled, and the plates may have a sliding rather than a rotary movement Without departing from the scope of m invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A multiple-break electric switch, com- .prising a plurality of stationary plates formed of insulating material arranged parallel with and in contact with each other, said lates having their abutting faces relieved) to form recesses, a plurality of movable plates formed of insulating material and mounted in said recesses, said movable plates being movable in a plane parallel with said stationar plates, metallic contact meinbers mounte iii each of said plates and adapted to be engaged and disengaged by the movement of said movable plates, and means for movin said movable plates.

2. A multiplereak electric switch, comprising a casing, a plurality of stationary plates formed of insulating material mounted in said casing, said Cplates being arranged in parallel relation an in contact with each other, said plates havingtheir abuttin faces relieved to form recesses, a centra y arranged shaft journaled in said casing, a plurality of movable plates formed of insulating material mounted on said shaft and extending within said recesses,' said movable plates being adapted to be moved in a plane parallel'with said stationary plates, metallic contact members mounted in each of said plates and adapted to be engaged and disengaged by the movement of said movable plates, and means for operating said shaft to move said plates.

3. A multiple-break electric switch, comprising a casing, a plurality of stationary plates formed of insulating material mounted in said casing, said plates being arranged in parallel relation and in contact with each other, said plates having their abuttin faces relieved to form recesses, a centra y arranged shaft journaled in said casing, a plurality of movable plates formed of insulating material mounted on said shaft and extending wit-hin said recesses, said movable plates being adapted to be rotated in a plane parallel with said stationary plates, metallic contact members mounted in each of said plates and adapted to be engaged and disengaged by the movement of said movable plates, and means for rotating said shaft and movable plates.

4. A multiple-break electric switch, comprising a casing, a plurality of stationary plates formed of insu ating material mounted in said casing, said plates being arranged in parallel relation and in contact with each other, said plates having their abuttin faces relieved to form recesses, a centra y arranged shaft journaled in said casing, a plurality of movable plates formed of insulating material mounted on said shaft and extending vvithin said recesses, said movable plates being adapted to be rotated in a plane parallel with said stationary plates, metallic contact members mounted in each of said plates and adapted to be engaged and disengaged by the movement of said movable plates, means for rotating said shaft and movable plates to engage said contact members, and a spring adapted to be tensioned when said shaft and movable plates are rotated to engage said contact members, said spring being adapted to ieversely rot-ate said shaft andmovable plates to disengage said contact members.

5. A multiple-break electric switch, comprising a casing, a plurality of stationary posts secured to said casing, 4a plurality of stationary plates formed of insulating material mounted in said casing and secured on said osts, said plates being arranged in paral el relation and in Contact with each other, said plal tes having their abuttin faces relieved to ferm recesses, a centra y ar-y ranged shaft journaledin said casing, a plurality of movable plates formed of insulating material mounted on said shaft and extending Within said recesses, said movable plates being adapted to be rotated in a plane parallel with said stationary plates, metallic contact members mounted in each of said plates and adapted to be engaged and dismembers, said spring being adapted to rotate engaged by the movement of said movable said shaft and movable plates in the reverse plates, means for rotating said shaft and direction. 10 movable plates in one direction to engage In testimony whereof, I have hereunto 5 said contact members, and a spring adapted signed my name.

to be tensioned when said shaft and movable plates are rotated to engage said contact LADURA ALEXANDER BROWN. 

